1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hydraulic brake apparatus for braking a vehicle. More specifically, the present invention relates to a hydraulic brake apparatus for braking a vehicle having dual braking controls.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
Typically, truck chassis are either steered from the left hand side or the right hand side. In the United States, trucks are arranged for steering from the left side whereas in countries such as England, steering is from the right side.
Additionally, there are some applications where steering is required from both sides such as driver education vehicles, garbage trucks and street sweepers. The present invention relates to the aforementioned dual steer chassis. More specifically, the present invention relates to the application of the brakes from the right side of the chassis which normally has left hand steer.
Although many manufacturers have over the years built dual steer chassis with air brakes, the air brakes are controlled with a combination of air valves which allow control from either side. However, this system is not possible on trucks with hydraulic brakes.
More specifically, in the past, manufacturers have used a combination of cables and mechanical linkages to link the right side pedal to the left side pedal. Therefore, when the operator pushed the pedal on the right, the cables and linkage would push the pedal on the left.
Although the aforementioned cable and linkage system has worked relatively well on driver education vehicles, such is not the case with stand up right hand steer equipment. With stand up steer machines, the linkage and cabling becomes quite complicated and less effective. For this reason, at least one manufacturer refuses to convert stand up right hand steer vehicles with hydraulic brakes.
The present invention overcomes the aforementioned problem by the provision of apparatus in which pushing on the right side pedal actuator causes a slave cylinder to stroke the left side brake pedal which results in the brakes being applied.
Return springs built into the pedal actuators and slave cylinder return these assemblies to the non-brake applied position when the operator at the right side removes pressure from the brake pedal.
When driven from the left side, the driver can apply the brakes as normal. The slave cylinder, according to the present invention will stroke unnoticed with the left side pedal as the left side driver applies and releases the brake pedal.
Accordingly, the present invention overcomes the problems associated with the prior art arrangements and makes a considerable contribution to the art of hydraulic braking systems.
Therefore, the primary objective of the present invention is the elimination of the need for cables and linkages.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art by careful consideration of the detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention as described hereinafter.